Does anyone recognise this plane?

[Milhafre]

I built this A2 sailplane in Canada in 1958 from a kit that was probably American. (Yes, that is me when I was young and lovely and dressed better!)

Does anyone recognise it? I would like to search for the plans and build another 50 years on.

Roly

[Hossfly72]

That's a Thermic or Zaic Floater. DO a search through the forums for those two terms. Here's one thread about them:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=905998&highlight=thermic

and another

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523134&highlight=thermic

Looks like they were a greatly loved plane. I know they were the inspiration for Dave Thornberg's Bird of Time.

[Milhafre]

Thanks very much Hossfly72, you have given me just the clue I needed.

It is a Thermic 72, and I have been able to locate a source for the plans; look for another Thermic gracing the skies next summer!

Roly

[Hossfly72]

Glad I could help. I want to see some pics when it's done though! That's a beautiful plane

[kw5368]

You can purchase a short kit of the Thermic 72 here:

http://www.tmrcsailplanes.com/SAM-vintage-sailplane-kits.html

The tail appears to be different though.

[Buran]

The Floater looks like a 72-in. Trooper (below). Ziac designed the Floater just prior to WWII using spruce instead of balsa (less strategic). The Floater that was kitted used balsa and had a polyhedral wing so the kit would fit in a 18-in. box.

[Buran]

I know of at least 3 versions of the 72. Post No. 1 being the 3rd picture.

[Milhafre]

I know of at least 3 versions of the 72. Post No. 1 being the 3rd picture.

Yes it definitely looks like the Jetco plan, does anyone have a source for that particular version? Otherwise I will go with the one I have already found with the different tail.

Thanks for all the help

Roly

[Norm Furutani]

Bob Holman has kits and plans (O'Reilly plans) for the Thermic 72 and 100. See: http://bhplans.com/OTGPg1.html- Norm

[TheNightowl]

You can purchase a short kit of the Thermic 72 here:

http://www.tmrcsailplanes.com/SAM-vintage-sailplane-kits.html

The tail appears to be different though.
It's not easy to tell, but I think the tail has been modified for a pop-up stab dethermalizer.
Nightowl

[atjurhs]

I remember building a Thermic 50 as a kid, and towing it up with a string, then free-flight from there....

It was one of my very first builds. I think I covered it with tissue and dope - that was a long time ago.

[jmralves]

OT
Hello Milhafre
Greetings from Continental PT

Desculpa, não consegui evitar :o

OT

[AMBeck]

I had the Jetex version back in the 1960s. It had a pop-up stab, which actually DTed the model only a couple times. It was a great model. I wanted to RC it, but I was too broke, and the model would have required major modifications. It hung in a hobby shop for several years while I was in college. They closed while I was away and I never saw my Thermic 72 again.

[FrogChief]

I built this A2 sailplane in Canada in 1958 from a kit that was probably American. (Yes, that is me when I was young and lovely and dressed better!)

Does anyone recognise it? I would like to search for the plans and build another 50 years on.

Roly



Yup, I've got my Grandpa's!

It's a Thermic.

[camdyson]

Wow - that's a great finish FrogChief. Any hints/ideas on how your talented Grandpa achieved it?

Cam

[FrogChief]

Wow - that's a great finish FrogChief. Any hints/ideas on how your talented Grandpa achieved it?

Cam


God bless him, he did it in transparent Monokote, with paint...In 1965.

I just spoke to him tonight and he's not doing well. Keep him in your prayers, he's pushing 85 and has been a glider guy since 1950.

Froggy out... :(

[camdyson]

Sorry to hear that Froggy - tell him from me he did an inspiring job there. I'm a year younger than his Thermic, and sure haven't aged that gracefully.

Best wishes to you both,

Cam

[Milhafre]

Thank you all for your help; I have sent for the plan and when it arrives it will go near the top of the build queue. It would be nice to have it flying next summer.

Ao jmralves: olá dos Açores.

FrogChief, that is a beautiful model. Mine was tissue and dope (it predated covering films) and was hand painted too. Best wishes and compliments to your Grandpa.

Roly